Accounting Manager

Gerdau•Jackson, MI

11d

About The Position

The Division Accounting Manager is responsible for leading the accounting, financial reporting, and internal control processes for the U.S. Special Steel Division, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant financial information in accordance with U.S. GAAP, Sarbanes‑Oxley (SOX), and corporate standards. This role manages the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, serves as the primary accounting liaison with external and internal auditors, and interfaces with corporate accounting teams to support consolidation and multinational reporting requirements. The position works closely with and provides functional guidance to Plant Controllers, ensuring consistent application of accounting policies, internal controls, and reporting standards across all locations. The role also leads the development of accounting staff and drives continuous improvement, standardization, and automation of accounting processes across the division. The Division Accounting Manager reports to the Operations Strategic Controller and has divisional responsibility for the governance, consistency, and integrity of accounting and financial reporting practices across all U.S. Special Steel locations. The role establishes and enforces high standards for internal controls, financial accuracy, and compliance, ensuring accounting practices are applied consistently in accordance with U.S. GAAP, Sarbanes‑Oxley requirements, and corporate policies. The position is expected to exercise sound professional judgment in addressing complex accounting matters, resolving issues arising from close or audit activities, and escalating risks as appropriate. The Division Accounting Manager works in close coordination with Plant Controllers, FP&A, Tax, Internal Audit, and Corporate Accounting, providing functional guidance to promote alignment, standardization, and disciplined execution of accounting practices across the division. The role maintains a strong connection to plant‑level operations, ensuring accounting practices effectively support manufacturing activities, inventory management, cost accuracy, and operational decision‑making. While Plant Controllers retain local operational responsibility, this position ensures divisional governance and adherence to regulatory and corporate standards. The scope of the role also includes leadership of the corporate accounting team and contribution to cross‑functional initiatives focused on strengthening controls, improving process efficiency through standardization and automation, and enhancing the quality and reliability of financial information.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance from an accredited university required.
7+ years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, including exposure to public company or equivalent regulated environments.
Prior experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment, with strong understanding of inventory, cost accounting, and production‑related financial processes.
Experience supporting monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, external audits, and financial reporting under U.S. GAAP.
Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and practical application of accounting standards.
Experience working with ERP and financial systems supporting accounting, close, costing, and reporting processes (e.g., Plex, Adaptive, SAP, and related reporting or data platforms).
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, with the ability to analyze and interpret complex financial data.
Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and mentor accounting professionals in a matrix or multi‑location environment.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to exercise sound professional judgment.
Effective communication skills, capable of partnering with Plant Controllers, FP&A, Operations, Tax, Treasury, and Corporate teams.
High ethical standards, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
All external applicants must be legally eligible to immediately work in the country of hire without current or future sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

CPA or equivalent professional certification preferred, but not required.
Exposure to multinational reporting environments and interaction with corporate or parent‑company accounting teams preferred.

Responsibilities

Own and manage the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of financial records across all locations.
Review and approve journal entries, account reconciliations, and balance sheet analyses, ensuring appropriate documentation, discipline, and resolution of reconciling items.
Ensure financial statements and supporting schedules are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, corporate accounting policies, and public‑company reporting standards.
Maintain accountability for the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting, ensuring compliance with Sarbanes‑Oxley (SOX) requirements and corporate control standards.
Coordinate control documentation, testing, and remediation activities with Internal Audit and process owners.
Identify control deficiencies and reporting risks, ensuring timely corrective actions and appropriate escalation.
Promote a strong control environment and culture of compliance, ethics, and accountability across the division.
Serve as the primary accounting liaison with external and internal auditors, coordinating audit activities and ensuring timely and effective execution of audit requirements.
Prepare audit schedules, supporting documentation, and accounting analyses to support audit conclusions.
Address audit findings and recommendations, ensuring corrective actions are implemented and sustained.
Serve as the technical accounting reference and standard‑setter for manufacturing‑related accounting matters, including inventory valuation, cost allocation, capitalization, and production variance analysis.
Own and govern product costing methodologies, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with manufacturing processes and corporate standards.
Ensure reliable measurement and analysis of product and customer profitability, supporting operational, commercial, and strategic decision‑making.
Work closely with Plant Controllers to ensure accounting practices accurately reflect manufacturing operations, inventory movements, and cost behavior.
Provide functional ownership and governance over key financial systems and tools supporting accounting, close, costing, and reporting processes, including Plex, Adaptive, SAP, FloQast, BNA, Databricks, and other related ERP, planning, reporting, and data platforms.
Ensure financial systems, data models, and interfaces support accurate transaction processing, timely close, strong controls, and audit‑ready information.
Partner with IT, FP&A, and business stakeholders to enhance system usage, data integrity, automation, and analytical capabilities.
Ensure consistent application of accounting policies, procedures, and controls across all plants, offices, and legal entities.
Lead initiatives to standardize, streamline, and automate accounting processes, improving efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
Partner with Corporate Accounting to support consolidation, reporting to the parent company, and alignment with multinational requirements.
Lead, develop, and mentor the division accounting team, setting clear expectations for performance, quality, and accountability.
Promote continuous learning, technical development, and cross‑training within the accounting organization.
Foster strong collaboration with Plant Controllers, FP&A, Tax, Treasury, Corporate and Operations leadership.
Lead or support special projects, forensic reviews, and ad‑hoc accounting or financial analyses, including investigation of complex issues, support for business initiatives, and response to management or corporate requests.
Perform additional responsibilities as required to support the integrity, effectiveness, and continuous improvement of the accounting function.